1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a heat dissipating apparatus, and more particularly to a fastening element for the heat dissipating apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
A heat dissipating apparatus always includes a thermal module for dissipating heat generated by an electronic component mounted on a printed circuit board, and a plurality of mounting elements for mounting the thermal module onto the printed circuit board so that the thermal module can have an intimate contact with the electronic component.
Each of the mounting elements usually includes a bolt defining an annular groove at a middle portion thereof, a coil spring disposed around the bolt, a C-shaped lamellar fastener capable of being snapped in the groove, and a screw nut threadedly engaging with a screwed end portion of the bolt.
The fasteners are made of metal with good resiliency. Each of the fasteners radially defines a through slit. In assembly of the heat dissipating apparatus, the fasteners are expanded radially outwardly by a fixture to surround grooves of the bolts; then the expanding force exerted on the fasteners by the fixture is released so that the fasteners snap in the grooves of the bolts, thereby pre-assembling the bolts to the thermal module. The bolts are then screwed with the screw nuts respectively to mount the pre-assembled thermal module to the circuit board.
In this heat dissipating apparatus, the configuration of the fastener is lamellar, which results in that the fastener does not have adequate strength to resist an external force possibly acting thereon. Therefore, the fasteners may be torn by the unexpected external force exerted thereon, which will cause the fasteners to separate from the bolts during transportation/handling of the pre-assembled thermal module. Without the fasteners snapped in the grooves, the bolts could separate from thermal module, which increases inconveniency and trouble in assembling the thermal module to the printed circuit board. Furthermore, if the fasteners are separated from the bolts after the thermal module is mounted to the printed circuit board, the fasteners fall on the printed circuit board. Such fasteners can cause short circuit of the printed circuit board, which could, in turn, incur a malfunction of a computer or damages of components of the computer.